Preparation Notes: plus 30min cooling and 30min soaking
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Yields:
8 - 10
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
Grated rind and juice of 11⁄2 lemons
275g (10oz) caster sugar
5 large eggs, separated
3 level tbsp ground almonds
275g (10oz) self-raising flour, sifted
Lemon slices and rose petals to decorate (optional)
For the syrup
150ml (1⁄4 pt) lemon juice (about 31⁄2 lemons)
350g (12oz) caster sugar
Large pinch of saffron (optional)
Directions
Step 1
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened unsalted butter, lemon rind and caster sugar until thoroughly combined, then mix in the lemon juice, a tablespoon at a time. Beat in the egg yolks together with the ground almonds, then fold in the flour.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites to a soft peak. Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the butter mixture, then gently fold in the remainder with 2tbsp cold water.
Step 3
Pour the mixture into a greased, baselined 23cm (9in) spring-release cake tin and smooth the top. Bake at 170°C (325°F) mark 3 for 50-60min or until the cake is cooked in the centre - a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean. Leave the cake in the tin and allow to cool for 30min.
Step 4
Meanwhile, make the syrup. Put the lemon juice, caster sugar, saffron and 300ml (1⁄2 pint) water into a heavy-based pan. Dissolve the sugar over a low heat, then bring to the boil. Set aside until the cake is cool.
Step 5
Leaving the cake in the tin, put the tin on a baking tray with a lip. Drizzle the lemon syrup over the cake and leave to soak in for 30min. Unmould the cake, slice and, if you like, decorate with lemon slices and rose petals to serve.
The flavour of this cake improves with time. So, if you can, make the cake and leave to soak in the lemon syrup for up to three days before you plan to serve it.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
